Value Stream Analysis and Mapping for Product Development

This paper explores the concept of Value Stream Analysis and Mapping (VSA/M) as applied to Product Development (PD) efforts. Value Stream Analysis and Mapping is a method of business process improvement. The application of VSA/M began in the manufacturing community. PD efforts provide a different setting for the use of VSA/M. Site visits were made to nine major U.S. aerospace organizations. Interviews, discussions, and participatory events were used to gather data on (1) the sophistication of the tools used in PD process improvement efforts, (2) the lean context of the use of the tools, and (3) success of the efforts. It was found that all three factors were strongly correlated, suggesting success depends on both good tools and lean context. Finally, a general VSA/M method for PD activities is proposed. The method uses modified process mapping tools to analyze and improve process.

Value Stream Analysis and Mapping for Product Development

This paper explores the concept of Value Stream Analysis and Mapping (VSA/M) as applied to Product Development (PD) efforts. Value Stream Analysis and Mapping is a method of business process improvement. The application of VSA/M began in the manufacturing community. PD efforts provide a different setting for the use of VSA/M. Site visits were made to nine major U.S. aerospace organizations. Interviews, discussions, and participatory events were used to gather data on (1) the sophistication of the tools used in PD process improvement efforts, (2) the lean context of the use of the tools, and (3) success of the efforts. It was found that all three factors were strongly correlated, suggesting success depends on both good tools and lean context. Finally, a general VSA/M method for PD activities is proposed. The method uses modified process mapping tools to analyze and improve process.

Measuring Value in Product Development

“What is value in product development?” is the key question of this paper. The answer is critical to the creation of lean in product development. By knowing how much value is added by product development (PD) activities, decisions can be more rationally made about how to allocate resources, such as time and money. In order to apply the principles of Lean Thinking and remove waste from the product development system, value must be precisely defined. Unfortunately, value is a complex entity that is composed of many dimensions and has thus far eluded definition on a local level. For this reason, research has been initiated on “Measuring Value in Product Development.” This paper serves as an introduction to this research. It presents the current understanding of value in PD, the critical questions involved, and a specific research design to guide the development of a methodology for measuring value. Work in PD value currently focuses on either high-level perspectives on value, or detailed looks at the attributes that value might have locally in the PD process. Models that attempt to capture value in PD are reviewed. These methods, however, do not capture the depth necessary to allow for application. A methodology is needed to evaluate activities on a local level to determine the amount of value they add and their sensitivity with respect to performance, cost, time, and risk. Two conceptual tools are proposed. The first is a conceptual framework for value creation in PD, referred to here as the Value Creation Model. The second tool is the Value-Activity Map, which shows the relationships between specific activities and value attributes. These maps will allow a better understanding of the development of value in PD, will facilitate comparison of value development between separate projects, and will provide the information necessary to adapt process analysis tools (such as DSM) to consider value. The key questions that this research entails are: · What are the primary attributes of lifecycle value within PD? · How can one model the creation of value in a specific PD process? · Can a useful methodology be developed to quantify value in PD processes? · What are the tools necessary for application? · What PD metrics will be integrated with the necessary tools? The research milestones are: · Collection of value attributes and activities (September, 200) · Development of methodology of value-activity association (October, 2000) · Testing and refinement of the methodology (January, 2001) · Tool Development (March, 2001) · Present findings at July INCOSE conference (April, 2001) · Deliver thesis that captures a formalized methodology for defining value in PD (including LEM data sheets) (June, 2001) The research design aims for the development of two primary deliverables: a methodology to guide the incorporation of value, and a product development tool that will allow direct application.

Optimizing Product Line Designs: Efficient Methods and Comparisons

We compare a broad range of optimal product line design methods. The comparisons take advantage of recent advances that make it possible to identify the optimal solution to problems that are too large for complete enumeration. Several of the methods perform surprisingly well, including Simulated Annealing, Product-Swapping and Genetic Algorithms. The Product-Swapping heuristic is remarkable for its simplicity. The performance of this heuristic suggests that the optimal product line design problem may be far easier to solve in practice than indicated by complexity theory.

Behavioral Measures and their Correlation with IPM Iteration Counts on Semi-Definite Programming Problems

We study four measures of problem instance behavior that might account for the observed differences in interior-point method (IPM) iterations when these methods are used to solve semidefinite programming (SDP) problem instances: (i) an aggregate geometry measure related to the primal and dual feasible regions (aspect ratios) and norms of the optimal solutions, (ii) the (Renegar-) condition measure C(d) of the data instance, (iii) a measure of the near-absence of strict complementarity of the optimal solution, and (iv) the level of degeneracy of the optimal solution. We compute these measures for the SDPLIB suite problem instances and measure the correlation between these measures and IPM iteration counts (solved using the software SDPT3) when the measures have finite values. Our conclusions are roughly as follows: the aggregate geometry measure is highly correlated with IPM iterations (CORR = 0.896), and is a very good predictor of IPM iterations, particularly for problem instances with solutions of small norm and aspect ratio. The condition measure C(d) is also correlated with IPM iterations, but less so than the aggregate geometry measure (CORR = 0.630). The near-absence of strict complementarity is weakly correlated with IPM iterations (CORR = 0.423). The level of degeneracy of the optimal solution is essentially uncorrelated with IPM iterations.

Incidencia de factores socio-familiares en rendimiento académico : Aproximación en un medio semi-urbano.

Detectar la influencia de la familia, su constitución y status dentro del grupo social al que pertenece. Considerar el ambiente físico y cultural que rodea al niño, con objeto de comprobar si limita o posibilita sus actividades, las coarta o estimula. Determinar el status económico familiar y ver su influencia en el grado de instrucción y el rendimiento. Comprobar si la composición familiar o número de miembros son un factor determinante del rendimiento académico. 1200 alumnos de segunda etapa de EGB pertenecientes a colegios públicos. El estudio se plantea como variables independientes: edad, nivel de instrucción, número de miembros, situación familiar y renta per cápita. Y como variable dependiente el rendimiento medido a través de las calificaciones. Una vez concluída la recogida de datos y su identificación en las tablas correspondientes se les aplicó el tratamiento estadístico enfrentando las variables dos a dos. Chi cuadrado, Pearson, desviaciones. La edad de los padres es un factor decisivo en el rendimiento escolar de sus hijos. La edad de los padres no guarda relación con su situación laboral. El número de miembros familiares guarda relación con el nivel de instrucción de los padres. El número de miembros familiares guarda relación con la situación laboral de los padres. La renta per cápita familiar es independientemente de la subzona de residencia dentro de una zona determinada. El nivel socio-económico familiar influye en el rendimiento de los hijos.

Semi-online neural-Q_leaming for real-time robot learning

Reinforcement learning (RL) is a very suitable technique for robot learning, as it can learn in unknown environments and in real-time computation. The main difficulties in adapting classic RL algorithms to robotic systems are the generalization problem and the correct observation of the Markovian state. This paper attempts to solve the generalization problem by proposing the semi-online neural-Q_learning algorithm (SONQL). The algorithm uses the classic Q_learning technique with two modifications. First, a neural network (NN) approximates the Q_function allowing the use of continuous states and actions. Second, a database of the most representative learning samples accelerates and stabilizes the convergence. The term semi-online is referred to the fact that the algorithm uses the current but also past learning samples. However, the algorithm is able to learn in real-time while the robot is interacting with the environment. The paper shows simulated results with the "mountain-car" benchmark and, also, real results with an underwater robot in a target following behavior

Informed recommender: basing recommendations on consumer product reviews

Recommender systems attempt to predict items in which a user might be interested, given some information about the user's and items' profiles. Most existing recommender systems use content-based or collaborative filtering methods or hybrid methods that combine both techniques (see the sidebar for more details). We created Informed Recommender to address the problem of using consumer opinion about products, expressed online in free-form text, to generate product recommendations. Informed recommender uses prioritized consumer product reviews to make recommendations. Using text-mining techniques, it maps each piece of each review comment automatically into an ontology

Recommender System Based on Consumer Product Reviews

Consumer reviews, opinions and shared experiences in the use of a product is a powerful source of information about consumer preferences that can be used in recommender systems. Despite the importance and value of such information, there is no comprehensive mechanism that formalizes the opinions selection and retrieval process and the utilization of retrieved opinions due to the difficulty of extracting information from text data. In this paper, a new recommender system that is built on consumer product reviews is proposed. A prioritizing mechanism is developed for the system. The proposed approach is illustrated using the case study of a recommender system for digital cameras

Terapia electroconvulsiva en esquizofrenia resistente a tratamiento farmacológico

El uso de la terapia electroconvulsiva en el tratamiento de la esquizofrenia resistente a manejo farmacológico suscita en la actualidad diferentes posiciones respecto a su utilidad y eficacia en el control del espectro de síntomas presentados por este tipo de pacientes. Objetivo: Determinar la efectividad de la terapia electroconvulsiva en esquizofrenia resistente a tratamiento farmacológico. Materiales y métodos: Se realizó una revisión sistemática de la literatura. Se incluyeron dos estudios aleatorizados controlados y siete estudios abiertos cuasi experimentales. Se excluyeron 12 estudios y otros cinco estudios se clasificaron en curso, es decir, que a la fecha no se han terminado ni publicado. Resultados: La evidencia disponible, respalda el uso de la terapia electroconvulsiva como terapia coadyuvante al tratamiento farmacológico en pacientes con esquizofrenia refractaria. Un grupo de cuatro estudios cuasi experimentales mostró reducción clínicamente significativa de la escala BPRS al igual que los dos estudios aleatorizados controlados. El grupo restante de tres estudios cuasi experimentales, mostró reducción clínicamente significativa de la escala PANSS. Estos resultados, se dan en el marco de la existencia de pocos ensayos clínicos aleatorizados disponibles. Conclusiones: La TEC combinada con medicamento antipsicótico provee la mejor opción terapéutica en el tratamiento agudo y a largo plazo de la esquizofrenia refractaria. Es necesaria la realización de estudios clínicos que aporten mayor nivel de evidencia.

Characterisation of low temperature and semi-insulating GaAs lateral photo-Dember THz Emitters

Poster for IRMMW-THz conference in Mainz, Germany 2013

Estrategias para la Internacionalización en Prosectorglass SAS.

Entre el segundo semestre del 2012 y el primer semestre del 2013, con la empresa colombiana Prosectorglass S.A.S., ubicada en Bogotá se desarrollo de la mano del CIDEM de la Universidad del Rosario y la Cámara de Comercio de Bogotá una metodología ofrecida por el CIDEM para exportar sus productos fijando como mercado objetivo el mercado mexicano haciendo énfasis en la industria vidriera y los distribuidores de seguridad industrial, así mismo se identificaron como mercados secundario y contingente a los mercados Chileno y Costarricense correspondientemente. Habiendo superado la etapa de investigación de mercados se procede a evaluar la situación actual de la empresa en aspectos de producción y costeo del producto haciendo aportes importantes a la empresa sobre todo en la revisión de los costos del producto. Paralelamente se evalúan costos logísticos para el mercado objetivo por distintas rutas y utilizando diferentes medios de transporte, teniendo en cuenta los diferentes INCOTERMS para dejar a la empresa con herramientas que le permitan ofrecer a sus futuros clientes internacionales los precios adecuados acorde a la negociación desarrollada. Para terminar la asesoría se ofrece a la empresa un apoyo comercial que le permita fortalecer el posicionamiento de sus productos en el mercado nacional y posicionar los mismos en los mercados fijados en la inteligencia de mercados basándose en la cercanía de filiales en Colombia de empresas identificadas en los mercados estudiados.

La ventilazione non-invasiva a pressione positiva nell’insufficienza respiratoria acuta ipercapnica: 10 anni di esperienza clinica di una Unità di Terapia Semi-Intensiva Respiratoria

PremessaSebbene numerosi studi prospettici, controllati e randomizzati abbiano dimostrato il successo della ventilazione non-invasiva a pressione positiva (NIV) in casi selezionati di insufficienza respiratoria acuta ipercapnica (IRA) in setting con intensità di cura differenti, i dati di pratica clinica relativi all’uso della NIV nel “mondo reale” sono limitati. Scopo Riportare i risultati della nostra esperienza clinica sulla NIV nell’IRA applicata nell’Unità di Terapia Semi-Intensiva Respiratoria (UTSIR) allocata all’interno dell’Unità Operativa di Pneumologia di Arezzo negli anni 1996-2006 in termini di: tollerabilità, effetti sui gas ematici, tasso di successo e fattori predittivi del fallimento.MetodiTrecentocinquanta dei 1484 pazienti (23.6%) consecutivamente ammessi per IRA nella nostra Unità Operativa di Pneumologia durante il periodo di studio hanno ricevuto la NIV in aggiunta alla terapia standard, in seguito al raggiungimento di criteri predefiniti impiegati di routine.RisultatiOtto pazienti (2.3%) non hanno tollerato la NIV per discomfort alla maschera, mentre i rimanenti 342 (M: 240, F: 102; età: mediana (interquartili) 74.0 (68.0-79.3) anni; BPCO: 69.3%) sono stati ventilati per >1 ora. I gas ematici sono significativamente migliorati dopo 2 ore di NIV (media (deviazione standard) pH: 7.33 (0.07) versus 7.28 (7.25-7.31), p<0.0001; PaCO2: 71.4 (15.3) mmHg versus 80.8 (16.6) mmHg, p<0.0001; PaO2/FiO2: 205 (61) versus 183 (150-222), p<0.0001). La NIV ha evitato l’intubazione in 285/342 pazienti (83.3%) con una mortalità ospedaliera del 14.0%. Il fallimento della NIV è risultato essere predetto in modo indipendente dall’Apache III (Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation III) score, dall’indice di massa corporea e dal fallimento tardivo della NIV (> 48 ore di ventilazione) dopo iniziale risposta positiva.ConclusioniSecondo la nostra esperienza clinica di dieci anni realizzata in una UTSIR, la NIV si conferma essere ben tollerata, efficace nel migliorare i gas ematici e utile nell’evitare l’intubazione in molti episodi di IRA non-responsivi alla terapia standard.

Plan exportador en los sistemas semi-estabulado de ganado de carne bovino en productores de la vereda el guayabo - Pto. Salgar, Cundinamarca.

Este proyecto busca analizar y brindar las herramientas necesarias para poder exportar carne de calidad bajo un plan detallado de diagnostico en la zona a impactar en armonía con el medio ambiente. Básicamente, se trata de entender que la finca se debe manejar como una empresa agro-ganadera. El reto que tiene el gremio de los Agro-ganaderos está en crear, desarrollar y aplicar verdaderos proyectos de vida que sean productivos en las empresas ganaderas. Debemos empezar a utilizar los beneficios de los nuevos conceptos, tecnologías e investigaciones, para afrontar los retos que se imponen con los Tratados de Libre Comercio con otros países. La empresa Plus Agrícola S.A.S., quiere que estos conceptos, conocimientos, tecnologías e investigaciones lleguen a los pequeños y medianos productores de muchas zonas del país que como consecuencia de numerosos obstáculos e intereses de federaciones, no han podido acceder a capacitaciones que les permitan convertirse en verdaderos empresarios ganaderos. Plus Agrícola S.A.S., quiere proporcionar elementos de cambio que permitan dar un giro de 360 grados a estos productores pues estamos convencidos que el futuro de la ganadería en Colombia está en sistemas semi-estabulados y estabulados con confort, tanto en producción de carne y leche que permitan cambiar esa idea que de generación en generación hemos aplicado, como es sacar nuestros bovinos a pastorear en pasturas degradadas y pobres en alimento.

Desarrollo de un estado de la cuestión acerca de las interacciones entre el control de gestión y el aprendizaje organizacional.

Las organizaciones en la actualidad deben encontrar diferentes maneras de sobrevivir en un tiempo de rápida transformación. Uno de los mecanismos usados por las empresas para adaptarse a los cambios organizacionales son los sistemas de control de gestión, que a su vez permiten a las organizaciones hacer un seguimiento a sus procesos, para que la adaptabilidad sea efectiva. Otra variable importante para la adaptación es el aprendizaje organizacional siendo el proceso mediante el cual las organizaciones se adaptan a los cambios del entorno, tanto interno como externo de la compañía. Dado lo anterior, este proyecto se basa en la extracción de documentación soporte valido, que permita explorar las interacciones entre estos dos campos, los sistemas de control de gestión y el aprendizaje organizacional, además, analizar el impacto de estas interacciones en la perdurabilidad organizacional. ​